Blink and You’ll Miss The World Cup Ladies Sprint
If you like speed then The Grade 1 World Cup Ladies Sprint is the race for you. If you like the ladies then this is also your race. And if you like to bet, you better head to Pennsylvania.With the favorite held at odds of 9/2, there is plenty of value for horseplayers in this race as twelve gals will break from the gate in this six furlong dash. With the track expected to be fast, you can expect a fast pace and a fast time. This one should be a doozy. Let’s check the ladies out. DAILY AFFIRMATION 5/1 Divisional Rank: 49 5 Year Old Mare Jockey: D Zordich ( 654 – 166 – 127 – 80 – 25% ) Record (40 : 16 – 5 – 7) $340,163 Dirt (37 : 16 – 4 – 7) $338,188 Distance (8 : 5 – 0 – 1) Best 6 furlong speed figure: 100 A veteran of forty career starts, this well bred daughter of SOUTHERN TWANG 10/1 Divisional Rank: 122 4 Year Old Filly DIXIELAND BAND x CAPOTE x RIBOT Jockey: B Wu ( 646 – 152 – 122 – 96 – 24% ) Record (15 : 5 – 3 – 2) $111,524 Dirt (13 : 5 – 3 – 2) $110,544 Distance (4 : 1 – 2 – 1) Best 6 furlong speed figure: 105 This filly has never run against Graded Stakes company and is yet to win a stakes, but she enters this race in great form and could be a live longshot this weekend. She has won three of here last six starts, with two seconds and a third. Her last race six weeks ago was her best to date when she was second after closing from a long way back in the six furlong The WEST BELOW THE TOP Special. If she can hold her form it would put her right in the reckoning. “My filly likes to drop back and come from the clouds. The race looks like the pace will be quick and hopefully she can give me a run late”, jockey Wu told the press. EASY DEVIL 19/1 Divisional Rank: 981 4 Year Old Filly DEVIL HIS DUE x EASY GOER x VALID APPEAL Jockey: Q Miller ( 596 – 76 – 102 – 91 – 13% ) Record (21 : 4 – 5 – 1) $54,388 Dirt (19 : 4 – 5 – 1) $54,388 Distance (4 : 1 – 2 – 0) Best 6 furlong speed figure: 103 This is a very tough spot for a filly to be making her stakes debut and that is what Easy Devil is faced with on Saturday. This is her fifth start for her new owner after she was claimed for $10,000 on the second of June this year. In her favor is the fact that her last six races have been her best and she recorded the only triple digit speed figure of her career at six furlongs three starts back. She returns to that distance this weekend and hopes to get a piece of the purse. Her connections are undeterred by her long odds. “We don’t pay attention to the odds board. If we did we wouldn’t be here”.
ROCKET NINER (IRE) 19/1 Divisional Rank: 99
3 Year Old Filly
GENEROUS(IRE) x FORTY NINER x TEMPERENCE HILL
Jockey: A Reed ( 630 – 114 – 108 – 77 – 18% )
Record (12 : 6 – 2 – 2) $178,534 Dirt (12 : 6 – 2 – 2) $178,534
Distance (1 : 1 – 0 – 0)
Best 6 furlong speed figure: 91
Improving three year old filly who takes a big step up in class here. She has never cracked the 100 speed figure barrier, and that is what is needed to be competitive in here. She has not only shown great consistency, but great durability as well. This will be her twelfth start this season and there are some who believe her hectic year, coupled with the competition she will face this weekend, will work against her. Her trainer told the press, “She has been very active this year, but we have given her a five week freshening for this race. She’ll give her best. Whether that will be enough, we just have to wait and see”.
WAKI SLAM (KY) 10/1 Divisional Rank: 9
3 Year Old Filly
GRAND SLAM x MISWAKI x GREEN DESERT
Jockey: R Harzheim ( 639 – 159 – 126 – 106 – 25% )
Record (20 : 10 – 2 – 1) $681,000 Dirt (20 : 10 – 2 – 1) $681,000
Distance (6 : 4 – 0 – 0)
Best 6 furlong speed figure: 102
This filly will be looking to get back to form after failing to hit the board in her last three outings and in five of her last six starts. This is a tough spot to be in when you are not in the best of form, but her connections are hoping she can rebound after being off for five weeks. Last time out she was a well beaten eighth to Battlefield Earth in the Grade 2 Ldyssecret and Mano’s waiting for equinics challenge. That race was her first against older fillies and mares and she hopes to have better success on Saturday. Has been out front against lesser company and going longer distances, so it’s left to be seen what tactics are employed by jockey Harzheim.
GRAY’S BABY (IRE) 7/1 Divisional Rank: 268
5 Year Old Mare
SWAIN (IRE) x A.P. INDY x IN REALITY
Jockey: V Elliott ( 643 – 131 – 110 – 91 – 20% )
Record (44 : 11 – 4 – 10) $150,825 Dirt (42 : 11 – 4 – 10) $148,565
Distance (12 : 3 – 1 – 3)
Best 6 furlong speed figure: 102
Here is an interesting mare who has knocked around the claiming ranks during her career, but enters this race off two very fast allowance races both at 6.5 furlongs. She has never competed in a Graded Stakes, never won a Stakes race, and her last stakes outing was two years ago. Why is she here? “She is very sharp right now and her last two races have been the best of her career. If there is ever a time to run her against Graded competition, now is the time”, her trainer said. Her speed rating in both those starts was 106, the fastest she’s ever run. “We only paid $2,500 for her so she owes us nothing. We’ll roll the dice and go for it. Off her last two races she belongs in here”. The bookmakers agree. She’s 7/1. Needs a fast pace to set up her late rally.
POSITIVE DISCISION 8/1 Divisional Rank: 87
5 Year Old Mare
PULPIT x DANCING BRAVE x FORTY NINER
Jockey: H Ross ( 655 – 145 – 129 – 99 – 22% )
Record (19 : 7 – 5 – 4) $220,133 Dirt (19 : 7 – 5 – 4) $220,133
Distance (9 : 2 – 4 – 2)
Best 6 furlong speed figure: 106
Lightly raced and very consistent five year old has only been off the board three times in nineteen career outings. Four weeks ago she won the The ILLICIT DAYDREAM Special with a career best 106 speed rating. Her past performances show that she usually regresses after a triple digit speed figure, and her connections are hoping that this trend does not continue this weekend. The mare also showed a new dimension last time out when she rated just off the pace as opposed to her usual front running style. Similar tactics may be employed on Saturday. “My filly has the speed to be on the lead, but we’ll play it by ear once the gates open. If she breaks running I certainly won’t wrangle her back, but if it’s crazy up front we’ll sit off the speed”.
BATTLEFIELD EARTH (GB) 9/2 Divisional Rank: 1
4 Year Old Filly
DIESIS(GB) x KINGMAMBO x STORM BIRD
Jockey: K Hellestrae ( 630 – 189 – 133 – 104 – 30% )
Record (29 : 13 – 2 – 3) $780,070 Dirt (24 : 12 – 2 – 3) $758,810
Distance (8 : 5 – 0 – 1)
Best 6 furlong speed figure: 111
With this filly’s pedigree you would expect her to be more effective at longer distances on the grass. Yet she is the number 1 ranked filly sprinter in The Sim and the favorite to take this race. Go Figure! She will be seeking her first Grade 1 victory on Saturday and comes into this race on the back of two impressive scores over Grade 2 company in her last two starts. In those two races she laid just off the pace before making her move in the stretch. Jockey Hellestrae will look to negotiate a similar trip on Saturday. This will be her third race in five weeks, but her connections have said she has held together remarkably well and they expect another good effort this weekend. Outstanding record at six furlongs, but her two fastest figures at the distance were on off tracks. The fast track will not be an inconvenience, but the rain would have made her even more dangerous than she already is.
RAY’S CAUSEWAY (IRE) 12/1 Divisional Rank: 15
4 Year Old Filly
Jockey: J Piotrowski ( 643 – 154 – 117 – 85 – 24% )
Record (28 : 9 – 6 – 0) $391,708 Dirt (15 : 8 – 2 – 0) $305,839
Distance (8 : 4 – 1 – 0)
Best 6 furlong speed figure: 105
Big things were always expected from this well bred daughter of triple Grade 1 winner Murf Ray. Perhaps the expectations were too high. She struggled through her first sixteen starts where she failed to win a stakes race or record a speed figure of beyond 84. She seems to have gotten her game together this year though, where she has found a home sprinting on the dirt. She has won four or her seven outings this season, two against minor stakes company and one in the Grade 2 Lil’ Leprechaun Dash. However her supporters may be worried that her other three starts have all been off the board performances including her last two. Her connections believe she was hampered by an off track last time out in the Grade 2 Ldyssecret and Mano’s waiting for equinics challenge when she was up the track behind Battlefield Earth. All three of her Stakes wins have come in gate to wire fashion, so she may need the lead to be most effective this weekend.
BENNY BEING BENNY 6/1 Divisional Rank: 13
4 Year Old Filly
MORE THAN READY x FUSAICHI PEGASUS x DANEHILL
Jockey: J Harzheim ( 645 – 148 – 113 – 94 – 23% )
Record (17 : 8 – 3 – 0) $924,010 Dirt (17 : 8 – 3 – 0) $924,010
Distance (6 : 4 – 1 – 0)
Best 6 furlong speed figure: 106
This filly was one of the best three year old sprinters last year when she won two Grade 1 Stakes at six and seven furlongs. This year she started slowly, finishing off the board in her first two starts. Since then she has two wins and a second in her last three and many on the backstretch believe she is poised for her first big performance of the year as she steps back into Grade 1 competition. Will be a pace factor, either out front or laying very close to the early lead. Seems to be getting back to her best and that makes her a major force to be reckoned with.
HEY HAYLEY 9/1 Divisional Rank: 48
4 Year Old Filly
Jockey: M Mills ( 608 – 123 – 105 – 95 – 20% )
Record (28 : 8 – 8 – 3) $248,666 Dirt (27 : 8 – 8 – 3) $248,666
Distance (9 : 1 – 4 – 2)
Best 6 furlong speed figure: 109
Her connections were no doubt down on their knees praying for rain on Saturday, but no such luck for them. This filly’s best efforts have come on off tracks, including her lone stakes win and last time out when she just failed to catch Battlefield Earth at 16/1 odds in the Grade 2 Ldyssecret and Mano’s waiting for equinics challenge. Her only triple digit speed figure on a fast track is 102 and she’ll have to run faster than that to upset this field this weekend. Also against her is her 1 for 9 record at six furlongs. At the press conference earlier this week, her trainer acknowledged they were watching the skies. “Rain would have helped us for sure, but we can’t control the weather so we’re not worried. Last time was a career best and hopefully she can run that same kind of race. With the early pace expected to be fast, that should help her late run”.
BUST MY CHOPS 10/1 Divisional Rank: 104
4 Year Old Filly
HOUSEBUSTER x NUREYEV x CONQUISTADOR CIELO
Jockey: J White ( 590 – 138 – 103 – 79 – 23% )
Record (15 : 7 – 1 – 3) $137,519 Dirt (14 : 7 – 1 – 2) $136,111
Distance (5 : 3 – 0 – 0)
Best 6 furlong speed figure: 104
Another filly that has really come to hand for her connections this year. She has won two Stakes races so far this season, including her last race, The YOUR GROUND Challenge seven weeks ago. Whether the 49 day layoff will be to her benefit or leave her short of conditioning, is yet to be seen. “We think the rest did her the world of good. She had run some tough races this year and we wanted to freshen her for this particular race”, her trainer said on the backstretch this week. One thing is certain, and that is she will have to take another step forward in form to take this field down. In her only foray against Graded stakes competition she was fifth in The Grade 2 Real Danger Handicap.
Good Luck To All!